Spud and spud-point



Aug. 25, 1931. R. H. DIETERT l sPUD AND sPuD PoINT Filed Nov. 17, 192B INVENTOR gaaqvlbl wg TTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1931 i PATENT; OFFICE RUDOLPH H. DIETERT, or EInGEWooD, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoR To ATLANTIC, GULF f' x AND PACIFIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OE WEST VIRGINIA Y srUn AND spun-POINT i Application tiled yNovember il?, 1928. VSerial No.. 320,031.

This invention relates .n tok spuds employed in dredging operations, and' particularly to the pointedmember'of a spud, known Vas the spud-point, whichby 'its 'novel construction,

may be readily insertedv in 'mud or other bottom materialin which a, dredge may be Opfv erat1ng,fand, when 1n positiom'oiers greater., resistance to movement than do spud-points heretoforeemployed. j

l0 4In hydraulic dredgingitv is necessarytopivot thejdredge so that kduring a partofl its cycle of operation, it may 'swing through a predetermined angular distance about a fixed vertical axis. The pivoting means, which are known in the art as spuds, are long cylindrical members each having at its lower end al pointed member known as a spud-point. The spuds extend through openings, known as spud wells, on or in the dredge hull, the said openings being of such size relative to the spud and being so arranged as to permit the dredge to rotate about the spud actingas a fixed vertical axis. Itis desirable,

u penetrate the bottom underlying the body of water rin which ythe dredge is operating by the vweight of the spudvalone. VInthe arrangements of the prior art, the spud-point was a conical shaped member. In the use of such spud-points, diiculty has sometimes been experienced in effecting penetration 4solely by the weight of the spud.

This invention resides principally in a spud-point consisting kof the plurality yof Vpointed tins, the planes of which intersect at Y the longitudinal axis of the spud-point, which 'type of spud-point is capable of vbeing j more readily inserted'in the bottom material than Vare the spud-points heretofore em- Ioployed A spud-point embodying this invention possesses other desirable characteristics. Not only `is it capable of offering greaterresistance to movement at right angles to its lon- 5 gitudinal axis than do the spud-points heretofore employed, but also it is capable of offering greater resistance to rotation about its longitudinal axis than a point of the old type for. equal penetration. 0* y Furthermore, it has been found that the of course, to be able to cause the point toy use of spud-points, embodying this invention, tends to keep them sharpened as they Wear away, thereby ensuring a good entering end for the spud.

Another object of this invention resides in the placing of openings in the spud and spudpoint to permit the ingress of water during the lowering of the spud, thereby overcoming the detrimental buoyant effect of the hollow portion of the spud; and also to permit theegress of water from the spud when it is vbeing lifted.

,Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the attached drawings, of which Figure l shows an assembly of asectionalized spud having a spudpoint embodying this invention Fig. 2 shows in greater detail, the spud-point and the last section of the spud, the portion tothe right of the liney Y- -Y being a longitudinal section and to the left being a plan view; Fig. 3 is a cross section of a spud-point, having Jfour tins 'and Fig. 4 is a cross section through the junction-of the spud vand the spud-point, showing the webs having openings therein between the adjacent ins.

In Fig. l, the spud l comprises a plurality of sections whichare so joined as to form ar rigid structure. 'Connected with the spud 1- is afspud-point 2, which consists of the plurality of tins, such as 3, 4 and 5, tapering to a point at one endl of the spud-point. Vhile this spud-point has been shown in combination with a sectionalized tubular spud, it is to be understoodvthat the invention is not so limited since it will be obvious that a spud-point embodying this invention may be employed with any type of spud. The details of thevspud-point and the manner in which it is connected with the spud, `are shown more clearly in Fig. 2. It will be seen from'that igure,that the fins taper in size fromthe' junction or'V the spud-point with the spud, to the pointed end of the spudpoint.` The degree of tapering is relatively slight for about one-third the distance from the said junction to the pointed end yof the spud-point; and throughout the remaining two-thirds the?y degree of taperingy is ymuch greater. The Spud-point shown in 2 Vis to say, the distance from the longitudinalrv Y axis/to thelouter edge of the-fin at'the junction of the spudpoint and the Spud,A would' be ifteen inches; the width of the said fin at a distance i'our feet along the spud-'point toward its pointed end, would be fourteen inches; the width of the said lin would taper abruptlypfrom that location to the. pointed endofthe. spud-poinh'being abouttwo and` one-halfinches wide close to the latter endk and being rounded ofiI in the manner shown'- in'thedrawinga Itis desirable to lmake clear that the invention is not limited to a structure having four fins such as is illustrat- Y edinvFig. 3, but may have a smaller or larger number. Y Y

In theiform oi' thefinvention shown in Fig, 2, the spurl-point at the line X-X, is formed with a shoulder against which rests the Wall ofthe tubular spud. The end of the spud' point thenl projects within the spud and. is

.riveted `thereto so as te make a rigid joint,

The Spud-point is ,sovformed at its upperend near the point where it joins the spud,v as toffcreate av web between theadjacentns. Each web has, therein, an openingV`v which I permits the egress of water when the. Spud isL being lifted, vwhich openings areclearly shownrin Fig, 4, and designated 8, 9,10. and

111.1 Furthermore,.openings such as@ and? ,1.

have/been plaeedin that section of the Spud" adjoining-the spud-point and close to. the junction alsoto permit the egress ovvfater.Y

, Openingsl similar tot and 7 may be placed at a suitable angular distance apart around the end-section of the spud. Y l v Itis desirable to make clear that the inven-A tion is knot limited to a spud-point having aV f particular number oi' fins, or to one having A al particular degree of tapering because those factors may be varied widely without delgiart.-A ingv from the scope oithe invention.

` While the invention has been disclosedas embodied ina particular form, it Vis to be understood that itis capableof embodiment iii-other and different forms without depart.- ing from-the spirit and scope of the appended claims.` Y f. i n What is' claimed is: l l y -f 15.. Aspud-point comprising a plurality of' tins, the -vplanes vof which intersect at" the saidn tins taperingl to a point atene end, and theiadjfacent fins being joined togetherat. the:r other end-of the spud-'pointbyfwebs each having.: an.opening` therein.. c Y.

'2.1 Ihey combination with a' Spud consisting of a tubular member, havingan opening in the wall thereof to permit the inflow and outiow of water of a Spud-point connected with one end of said member, the said spudpoint comprising a plurality of pointed iins, spaced aparty by webs, thesaid webs. having Openings threi'nfto permit-the owofwater from the said member whenever the latter is being lifted from the water in lwhich it has beens'ubnirg'ed-l v 'f c i f l The comb'nation with aspud, consisting, of a hollow member having one or more openings in the wall thereof to permit the free iniiow and outflow of water, of a spudoint connectedwitli one end of the said mem- 4; Aspud consistingof a hollow memberl having one. or moreV o enings inthe wall thereof to permit ,the in ow of water. te ,overcome the. buoyancy. ofY the. Spud whenbeing submerged,k and to permitthe outflow of` wat ter ifherebyfthe raising of thespud is facilitate Y In testimony whereof, Ihave. signedqmy i me its 

